Goal: Ask animal shelter chief to apologize for not standing up for abandoned animals at home.

The former leader of a Pennsylvania Humane Society shelter recently purchased a $1000 purebred Collie puppy instead of adopting a rescue dog from the very shelter that she directed. As executive director, Ms. Braunstein was more than aware of the amount of dogs that are rescued and the fact that these abused or neglected dogs so perilously need a home as soon as possible.

She was aware that most rescue dogs will face euthanization after their rescue, simply because people frequently express preferences for puppies or “less risky” dogs from places other than shelters. Another reason people seek newborn puppies or previously owned ones is that they are ignorant of the ever-increasing number of perfectly worthy dogs and other animals from shelters that are in desperate need of adoption.

Ms. Braunstein was neither uneducated nor ignorant about the urgent need of adopters for dogs at the shelter–she just chose to act against everything she works for, the principles and goals of the Humane Society, and the high standard she is held to as director of an animal shelter. The Humane Society stands for animal welfare, conservation and compassion; Joy Braunstein demonstrated the un-importance of these values in her life and therefore must apologize to the public.

Sign this petition asking Joy Braunstein to apologize for the anti-rescue decision she made.

PETITION LETTER:

Dear Ms. Braunstein,

I am writing this letter to you to urge you to apologize for your actions during your time as Shelter Chief at the Western Pennsylvania Humane Society. The choice you reportedly made concerning the purchase of an expensive purebred Collie demonstrates values contradictory to the mission of the Humane Society that you represented. As director of an animal shelter, you promoted the adoption of rescue dogs over purchasing puppies, but in your personal life, you made decisions that are hypocritical.

As someone with a highly visible public position and platform, you could have used your choice about what dog to purchase as a chance to make a statement about the need to give homeless animals a better life. However, you failed to do this. Simply due to making this choice, you encourage others to neglect rescue animals and rather promote the over-breeding of dogs across the country, which in turn contributes to the high numbers of abandoned pets nationally.

Please apologize for your actions as director at the Humane Society.

Sincerely,

[Your Name Here]

Photo Credit: Nhandler

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